Second Teesta Bridge Approach Road

Sand used instead of earth!

The 500-metre-long approach road of newly-built second Teesta Bridge on Kakina-Mahipur road in Kaliganj upazila of Lalmonirhat has been built with sand instead of earth. Photo: Star

Our Coresspondent, Lalmonirhat

Sand has been used to build the 500-metre-long approach road of the newly-constructed second Teesta Bridge in Kaliganj upazila of the district, although the specification says the road has to be built with earth.

The road has been built by the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) on the Kakina-Mahipur road.

LGED Upazila Engineer Parvez Newaz Khan told this correspondent that the road will get properly compacted since it is built with sand, so he is satisfied with the work. “Contractor Alamgir Hossain was given the work of building the approach road at a cost of Tk 1.16 crore,” he said, adding that he monitors the work properly.

Mazidul Islam, 48, of Mahipur village told this correspondent that the contractor built the approach road with sand as he got it easily and cheaply from the Teesta river. “If the contractor had built the road with earth according to the schedule, he would have to spend a large amount of money for purchasing earth and transporting it,” he added.

“As the approach road has been built with sand collected from the Teesta river, less than fifty percent of the estimated amount has been spent,” said Nazrul Islam, 55, of the village. “The road may collapse during the rainy season as it is built with sand,” he said, alleging that the contractor and LGED officials made a huge amount of money.

Denying the allegation of making money, the upazila engineer told this correspondent that the side protection work of the road has been done strongly, so there is no chance of the road collapsing during rainy season. “A sand-built road lasts longer than one made of earth,” he claimed.

It was not possible to contact the contractor Alamgir, although he was called on mobile phone and messages were sent to him several times.

District LGED Executive Engineer SM Zakiur Rahman also expressed his satisfaction over the approach road. “The approach road has been built with sand as it is available in the area. The sand is well compacted and will last longer than earth,” he said.

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